"Bunkers" to be set up at rly stations

After the recent terror strike at the imposing Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has decided to set up permanent "concrete bunkers" at prominent stations to tackle such attacks more effectively.

After the recent terror strike at the imposing Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) has decided to set up permanent "concrete bunkers" at prominent stations to tackle such attacks more effectively.

The RPF has decided to construct concrete bunkers at prominent railway stations, a move that would ensure the safety of security forces while fighting against anti social elements, a senior RPF official said.

"A proposal in this regard has been moved before the Divisional Railway Manager a week after the Mumbai terror attacks. Going by the security threat, it is must to have permanent concrete bunkers at some important railway stations as the railway has always been a soft target for terrorists," K S Sonawane, Assistant Security Commissioner of RPF (Western Railway), told PTI.

Bunker is a defensive structure consisting of walls built around a stronghold with opening through which guns would be fired. Unlike underground bunkers, the officials are in Mumbai planning to construct bunkers on the surface of various railway stations.

With a plan to cause maximum damage, two terrorists Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman and Ismail Khan, on November 26 descended at CST and fired indiscriminately at the crowd, killing as many as 50 people including security men.

Though the security personnel managed to fight back effectively, the officials felt that a lot needs to be done to deal with similar situations in future.